


You’re My Flashlight

by catty_pawter



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: BLM, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24508549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catty_pawter/pseuds/catty_pawter
Summary: Beca gets home to Chloe before the protests start. Cynthia Rose is missing. Chloe finally convinces Beca to do something with her social media account.
Relationships: Chloe Beale & Beca Mitchell, Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	You’re My Flashlight

The first time Jessica and Ashley suggested anything in the Bella’s group chat, Beca was surprised. It wasn’t even a holiday or anything, yet the pair was suddenly firing up her back pocket with notification pings. 

_**Jessica** : Girls! We need to meet _

_**Ashley** : ASAP_

_**Amy** : What for, bitches?_

_**Aubrey** : Amy_

_**Amy** : What for?_

_**Ashley** : We need to go to Flo’s _

_**Lilly** : *eyes emoji*_

_**Emily** : A reunion?! I’m in! <3_

_**Jessica** : Well, sort of. You all free this weekend?_

_**Cynthia Rose:** Got nothing else to do, yeah_

_**Ashley** : Perf! Meet you at Flo’s 8pm? Please bring jammies_

_**Emily** : O-M-Aca-G! Is this a sleepover?_

_**Amy** : Again, Legacy, don’t take this the wrong way but_

_**Aubrey** : A sleepover, yes, Em. See you girls!_

She and Chloe never even had a chance to say anything else to the contrary. Not that they wanted to, anyway. When Beca opened the door to their house, Chloe was already squealing with excitement that Beca knew there was really nothing else she wanted to say. Good thing she finished writing the songs for the album already. 

“Why do you think Jessica suddenly suggested this?” Beca said after Chloe calmed down a bit. 

“She must miss us, is all. Isn’t it great that we’re all free this weekend, babe?” Chloe said as she started pressing feather-light kisses to her cheek.

“Stacie never even said anything.”

“Maybe she’s still at the gym.”

“And Flo?”

That stopped Chloe for a bit, her eyes furrowed thoughtfully. “Huh. Still driving home? Anyway, what do you think we should bring, Becs?”

They debated on cerveza negra and some plain old college vodka but ended up bringing wine instead. 

Turns out, all the others except Emily brought bottles of wine too so they decided to just order pizza and Chinese takeout for real food. Emily, who thought that it was a celebration, brought cake. 

Chloe looked at her watch, seeing it’s already past 9 pm. “Where are Ashley and Jessica?”

“They came here early today and just went out to get something,” said Flo who looked positively smoking with her wavy hair down.

“Might never come back,” Amy said, opening all the takeout bags already. Stacie slapped her arm lightly. 

“What?”

“They’re here,” Lilly said quietly. As usual, the sudden opening of her mouth was like a vacuum that sucked all the noise in the room. They didn’t really hear her so they turned to where she was looking instead. 

Jessica and Ashley strode in through the door, bringing a piñata oddly shaped like a clown but with a strangely orange complexion and wig-like hair which looked like it belonged to – 

“Trump?” It was Aubrey who spoke first. 

Ashley shrugged. “Who else could it be?” She plopped the piñata unceremoniously beside Amy who muttered a loud, “Ow!”

Emily’s eyes were wide with concern. “But why?”

“Is this about the wall?” said Stacie.

“It is, yeah. So we figured we’d get this to let off some steam,” Jessica explained, still enthusiastic. 

Beca clucked her tongue, thinking. “Makes sense. Now where are we going to hang this poor joker?”

Chloe looked at her, gently reproachful. “Becs, that’s not even a good thing to say. Heath Ledger, remember?”

Beca pretended to scoff dramatically before conceding. “Whatever you say, Chlo. So, bitches, what are we going to do with this jerk?”

Stacie was already looking around Flo’s place. “Got any baseball bats here, Flo?”

“No. I only have my hoop.”

“Hammers?” Aubrey said, hopeful.

“Uh, Bellas. There’s no need to take him down. He’s already on the floor,” Amy said, pointing to where she had kicked it. The nose already had a sizable dent.

Cynthia Rose looked around at the Bellas saying, “I think Flo shoulda had that first.”

The Bellas nodded. Flo shrugged. “Let’s play a game, yeah?” 

They played a game of good old Truth or Dare but this time only with drinking wine or punching the piñata involved. The piñata didn’t last for more than ten minutes with everyone choosing to punch it first before drinking wine. Soon, they had lots of candy strewn over the floor. Beca, who somehow managed to connect her phone to Flo’s invisible speakers, searched through her playlist for some Enrique Iglesias. She wasn’t particularly fond of him but she hoped it would somehow get Flo going. Which the Latina readily did, flipping her hair and urging everybody to dance with her. Soon, all Beca could see were bodies dancing wildly everywhere to the pulsing beat, Chloe holding her by the hips after miraculously getting the lights to dim and change colors as they would in a bar. Chalk it up to Chloe to know how to do that in someone else’s home. Beca smiled. These were her wild, awesome nerds, all right. 

They ended up not mentioning the wall. After the dancing, Jessica and Ashley were adamant that no one should sleep yet so Flo made them all join her in making some potato tamales. Whatever the hell it meant, thought Beca. It was fun, but Beca knew she still preferred Flo’s smoothies which could cure any kind of hangover she had. 

“We also have drunken horse racing, sometimes,” Flo said, telling them about some of her childhood shenanigans in Guatemala.

“You do? Finally. I’ve been needing to see a man about a horse,” said Amy, to which all their noses turned up in disgust. From Bellas’ retreat experience, they knew what Amy meant. 

“How is your family at home, Flo?” Chloe said thoughtfully.

“They’re fine. I told them I might need to fake my own death and flee the country soon but they’re worried about the juice trucks, so yeah. I’m still here,” Flo deadpanned.

“And we’re here for you, Flo. You know you could always tell us. My father always said—“ 

“Something inappropriate. Yeah, Bree, we know,” Beca said. She was concerned about Flo but she was starting to feel sleepy.

Chloe patted her arm softly. “I think we should crash, girls. We have to be hung over so we could enjoy Flo’s smoothies, remember?”

There was a chorus of yeses before they each went looking for a space to hole up in. Nobody wanted to leave Flo’s living room although she offered her guest rooms. “Don’t be silly. We used to sleep like this all the time,” Chloe said with a smile. 

The next day, Stacie was a little regretful as she looked at the still candy-strewn floor. “Would have been even more fun if you had toys inside,” she said with a wink before saying goodbye. The Bellas all had Flo’s famous smoothies and were all good to go back again to their lives, but not before they each gave Flo a tight hug, trying to convey as much love as they could. Even Beca didn’t shy away. Not unlike their USO tour, they wondered when they’d see each other again. 

* * *

  
Beca was frazzled when she got home. She paused for a moment after turning off the ignition to collect her thoughts and post on her IG. Good thing she got home before that emergency alert. She had a feeling it would be a long night.

And when she saw Chloe’s body wracked with sobs in the kitchen, she knew she was right. She put a hand lightly on her shoulders so she wouldn’t surprise her girlfriend.

“Chloe, baby. What’s wrong?”

It took a while for Chloe’s sobs to die down. “It- It’s Cynthia Rose.”

“Why? What happened?”

“I can’t contact her, Becs. I’m afraid.” Chloe suddenly reached out to her and hugged her tightly. Unlike her usual hugs, this one was bordering on bone-breaking and choking, but Beca didn’t mind. She knew Chloe was distressed. She caressed the red curls slowly while whispering to her.

“Shhh, Chlo. It’s gonna be all right. She’s probably just on duty. You know how crazy her schedule can get.”

Chloe drew back with eyes widened in worry. Beca hated that look on those eyes. “I’ve been calling her since this morning, Becs. I haven’t been able to talk to her.”

“How about Jessica and Ashley? Maybe they were able to reach her already?”

“No. They said there was no news yet.”

Beca felt as if she’d aged a thousand years as understanding dawned on her. She pulled away from Chloe and turned to walk towards their couch. Those protests must really have been serious for the alert to pop on her phone. She ran a hand through her hair, sighing, wondering where Cynthia Rose could be. 

Dinner that night was a subdued affair. They didn’t talk much, both still worried and waiting for any news from the Bellas chat. After clearing the dishes, Chloe followed Beca to the couch, both unwilling to sleep yet even though it was late already.

“Hold me?” Chloe’s voice was tiny as she croaked out her plea.

“Of course, Chlo. Come here.” Chloe rested her head on Beca’s lap and curled herself up into a ball. Beca began to stroke her hair softly, humming a random tune. 

“I just don’t understand why there are people who would do that, Becs. Why do they have to do that?”

She hated seeing Chloe this way, like a puppy confused about its owner’s sudden leaving after a good round of ball fetching. 

“I don’t know, Chlo. There are a lot of fucked-up people in this world.”

“But why do they have to prey on innocent people? Why kill at all?”

Beca knew she didn’t have any answer to that. 

“I’m really glad you came home safe, Becs. I was worried about you too. I don’t think I could handle it if you weren’t able to come home tonight.”

“Me too, Chlo. But I’m here now,” Beca said as she kissed Chloe’s forehead.

“Chlo. You know I’m worried about Cynthia Rose too. But it kills me more to see you like this. Is there anything I can do at all to make you feel better? I can draw up the bath for you.”

Chloe smiled tiredly, but it was a smile at least. “Thanks, baby. I’m good with this,” she said, patting Beca’s lap before sitting up.

“Are you sure?”

A beat. Then, “Becs, don’t you think it’s time?”

“What do you mean?”

“First it was Flo. And now it’s Cynthia Rose. Don’t you think it’s time, baby?”

Beca put her hands to the back of her neck in nervousness. They had the same talk after getting back from Flo’s and she remembered bitterly that it didn’t go too well.

“Chlo. You know I’m concerned about the Bellas too but I told you how I feel about that.”

“But how does this not change things at all, Becs? Aren’t you worried that we might not see them at all the next time we have a reunion, if it ever happens?”

“Of course I’m worried. You know how I am about people leaving, Chlo. You saw me.”

Chloe’s voice was rising now. “But that’s exactly it, Becs! These people are not leaving. They’re being pushed away, and we’re not doing anything to stop it.”

“What do you want me to do? I don’t think my voice will matter as much as Taylor’s does.”

At this, Chloe softened her expression and booped her on the nose. “Of course. She has about eight years’ worth of a head start, silly. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make somebody else listen to you and actually hear you.”

“Beca, there is no running away now.”

Beca was getting rather tired of being forced to do things out of her will. But she was also starting to ask herself, why exactly did she need to be forced to do those things?  
Damn Beale with her stunning eyes. 

“When tomorrow comes, I’ll be on my own, feeling frightened of the things that I don’t know…”

Beca would never cease to be amazed at how a song could change things in her life. Chloe’s soft voice was working its magic on her, calling up old memories in a new light. And it’s not that Beca was willfully oblivious about those things; it just didn’t occur to her before how they might have happened otherwise. 

Lilly was always the oddest one in their group. Hell, she admitted that she was born with gills like a fish, and that was easily the strangest thing they have ever heard. Or the one time she said she ate her twin in the womb. Add to that the discovery after their USO tour that she had been possessed by a demon and was actually named Esther. If it were a regular group of gals, Lilly would have been the odd one out. But Lilly did save Beca from the bear trap during their retreat and was amazingly mind-blowing as a beatboxer. 

Flo’s acrobatics was the first thing that caught the Bellas’ attention aside from her voice. When she belted out the audition chorus after an interlude of backflips, they knew she just had to be a Bella. They also soon realized that her acrobatics was probably a physical projection of so much emotional upheaval in her life. 

“ _I’m going to try to leave the country but I will probably die at sea. So let’s live for tonight, yeah!”_

Beca froze when she heard those words at the campfire, but she didn’t know how else to react so she just laughed nervously. 

And Cynthia Rose, who was definitely not a dude but who, in Beca’s opinion, had frankly the best set of pipes in the Bellas. 

“ _Why you yellin’ at me? I was burned to death because of you, aca-bitches,” Cynthia Rose said on the bus._

_“Sure, blame the minority,” Flo said, unimpressed._

_“I’m black, gay, and a woman,” Cynthia Rose had said._

And now, so many years later, Beca couldn’t help but laugh hollowly at how her three beloved Bellas (yes, Lilly included) were all part of the minority she didn’t even care to notice.

Chloe was right. There was no running away now.

Her phone was already firing away with notification pings not even five minutes after her post. Ashley sent the Bellas a screenshot of her post.

_**Ashley** : Becaaaaaaa! I love you for this!_

_**Jessica** : *teary-eyed emoji*_

_**Aubrey** : Has Cynthia messaged you yet?_

_**Jessica** : Not yet. But Beca was so sweet. Look, Aubrey!_

_**Flo** : Si. Thank you, Beca! I will offer you more free smoothies in the future_

_**Stacie** : What’s going on? Why is Beca the only one getting dibs?_

_**Amy** : Shortstack did something incredibly sweet today. But yeah, that punch was sweet too so don’t let it get to your head. _

_**Lilly** : *eyes emoji*_

Chloe slipped her right hand through Beca’s left as she held her phone. “Go on, Becs. It’s not gloating.”

She smiled back.

_**Beca** : sorry I took so long guys_

_**Jessica** : Not at all, Beca_

_**Ashley** : We feel a little left out too sometimes_

_**Jessica** : But we know none of that is intentional. Awww, I love you, awesome nerds!_

_**Beca** : I’m sorry for all those stupid things. I should have told you this a long time ago but the costumes you make for us give our group half its appeal with every performance! Dudes, those were awesome!_

_**Beca** : also hey, that’s my line!_

_**Amy** : Whatever, I’m still the most talented one in this group_

_**Stacie** : Amy!_

_**Aubrey** : Well, well, well. Guess Beca Mitchell isn’t as badass as we thought_

_**Beca** : *middle finger emoji*_

_**Emily** : Saw it! Aww, Beca! I knew there was a reason I looked up to you!_

_**Amy** : Wouldn’t be because she’s a midget, I’m sure_

_**Cynthia Rose:** Girls_

And just like that, the Bellas group chat erupted with so many pings that Chloe finally had to make a group call. There were so many tears of relief that Cynthia Rose was all right. They didn’t know what else would happen in the next few days but they at least knew that they would sleep better that night. 

“Thank you, Beca. You don’t know how much this means to me.” It was Cynthia Rose in a private message. 

Beca felt her throat tighten. She had taken a huge step that night, using a political hashtag for the first time in her social media accounts, but she hardly felt like an activist yet. All she knew was that the Bellas were her family. And just like Chloe, she would do anything to protect her little band of misfits. 

Maybe those were just old captain habits they hadn’t relinquished yet. But Beca knew that as long as there was a John Smith who kept saying that her Bellas were an inspiration to girls all over the country who are too ugly to be cheerleaders, there would be someone else to fight for them. Even if that someone had to be themselves.

Beca rubbed Chloe’s back as she fought back tears. She really didn’t know how she deserved Chloe in this lifetime or in any other. Chloe, who would willingly pull up her car to the sidewalk if she so much as saw a stray cat anywhere. It kind of bothered her that Chloe’s clinic now had more rescues than they could handle, but she knew she loved Chloe all the more for it. 

Love is louder. Beca knew Chloe was right. She really was her flashlight. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was prompted by Sendrick’s IG posts. Thank you to all you dear authors from whose work I build upon to create this. 
> 
> I was initially hesitant about posting this but as I realized, one of the things I love about Pitch Perfect and its fandom is precisely because of all the misfits who are here. Cheers to us, awesome nerds!


End file.
